Two hours later, smoke was still rising from the building and firefighters were still using saws to cut away a section of the roof. The injured firefighter was helicoptered to the hospital with a deep cut to his arm.

“No rooms were burned, just the roof,” McHenry said. Hill International Construction Management will assess damages along with Projects Management Co., the manager of the build.

By mid-afternoon, board members, inspectors and school officials were allowed in. The new $37 million, three-story, K-through-6 building at Saddle Way and Thorne Lane was to open in September and replace the existing school on Bordentown-Chesterfield Road.

According to the school district’s website, when completed, the building will be more than 115,000 square feet in size and house 54 classrooms, a science lab, gym, cafeteria and other facilities for 900 students in kindergarten through sixth grade.